6 Best Hotels in Livingston and the Yellowstone River, Helena, Bozeman, and Southwest Montana

Even cowboys love soft pillows, which is one reason so many of them favor this 1904 town centerpiece, whose floors have seen silver-tipped cowboy boots, fly-fishing waders, and the polished heels of Hollywood celebrities. Antiques reflect a different theme in each guest room. Ask to see the third-floor suite that film director Sam Peckinpah once called home. Historic photos, a player piano, and stuffed game animals decorate the lobby and surround the antique elevator, which is still in use.

In winter, when 2- to 6 feet of snow blanket this 9,000-acre working cattle ranch, guests enjoy spectacular adventures in cross-country skiing and wildlife tracking. The ranch shares a 6-mile boundary with Yellowstone National Park, in Tom Miner Basin, 36 miles south of Livingston. Rates include meals and activities, except at the West Bunkhouse, a six-bedroom, two-bathroom vacation rental. A four-wheel drive is recommended for reaching the ranch.

This rambling, quirky spa hotel opened in 1900, offering guests leisurely soaks in its 96°F–103°F hot-spring pools and accommodations with views of 10,920-foot Emigrant Peak and the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness beyond. The historic property features two large outdoor soaking pools, lots of meeting space, a hilltop spa offering a wide variety of treatments, and a mix of upscale cabins, covered wagons, and simpler rooms in the main lodge (some share a bath). The excellent restaurant serves creatively prepared local game, steaks, and fish. Painter Charles Russell (1864–1926) once stayed here.

This full-service guest-ranch resort in the middle of scenic Paradise Valley and 30 miles north of Yellowstone National Park is a family favorite. The cabins feel luxurious after a day in the saddle. The children's programs offer age-appropriate activities such as hiking, swimming, crafts, hayrides, campfires, and a talent show. Dinners range from Western barbecue to gourmet treats such as grilled bison tenderloin and pan-roasted king salmon. There's a seven-night minimum stay in summer.

Paradise Valley's most luxurious property opened in 2018, and it's hard to top your first impression: the two-story open floor plan A-frame lobby with views of Emigrant Peak. Amenities include hot tubs, a day spa, fitness center, gift shop, classic games, and activities like fly-fishing, mountain biking, wood-burning crafts, and even axe-throwing. The on-site restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food is so good it's a destination in itself, attracting diners from as far as two hours away, just for a meal.

Ask for a mountain-facing room, and get your dining reservations in early.